Sectional braiding-machine.



R. G. RAHM.

SLGTIONALv BRAIDING MACHINE.

APPLIUATON FILED 3111114, 1907.

Patented sept. 7, 1909.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Haben' E. Rahm,

TED s'rArnsgiignNT orme.

ROBERT, c. narrar, on WYoMIssING, PENNSYLVANIA, A SSIGNQB. 'ro 'iEXTrLn MACHINE l\1f. n1rs,or WYoMIssING, PENNSYLVANIA., .a CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

sEc'rIoNAL BRAIDINc-MACHXN.

aaasao.

Specication of Letters raten@ Application letl January 14, 1907.. Serial No. 352,067. y

`Patented sept. t, tana.

` To all whom fit mayV concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT C. RAHM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vtfyomissing, inthe county of Berks,

5 b'tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements ihiSjectional Braiding-Machines, of which the', tollowing is a specification. Y

The main object of my invention is to vpro-- io vide for producingimproved braid porod'ucts,

ric' difrier-engaging gears, the separated ends of which series are linked together' by an interposed pair of three-horn carrier-engaging gears with .carrier-controlling :so therefor, whereby aiternate carriers of each series are either reversed or passed through by said gears respectively as desired. Fig. 3 isuan enlarged View of a portion of a continuous composite braid which may be pro- :La duced on my improved machine, showing four different runs of the threads inade at dili'erent points of its length; Figs. 4, 5, 6 and T being corresponding diagrammatic views indicating the different carrier move` -10 ments effected therefor.

Xo showing or description of the ordinary and well known features of a braiding machine are necessary to a full understandino of m i invention Vthe features-ot which' 45 are therefore illustrated diagramnfiatically in the drawing, the gears in each race-circle of the course being indicated by radial 'lines showing the number of carrier-engaging horns. In Fig. 2 a very short serpentine 57o carrier course of two sections is indicated, each section comprising merely two four horn gearsy (I), Z) or Z2 b) in a series, with a terminal gear o, or a', and the separated end gears of i each series being vconnected or 56 linked together by a pair of three-horn gears Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan View of a switches' c and c" interposed between the separated series b b and b' L', so that the carriers of both sections may be divided between them. Each of the terminal gears a and a', as indicated, is provided with tive carrier-engaging recesses or horns while each of the interposed linking gears is provided with three horns, as stated; said linking gears c and c" being necessarily uneven-horned to avoid conflict of the carriers in their required runs, while the ordinary gears 7) 'b and L" Z1 in series are even-horned A series of switches cl, e, f and g are arranged, as shown, at the Seyer-,al points of intersection of the linking race-circles c and c with the adjoin- 'ing race-circles l) and b of the respective course sections; said switches'being readily operated fas usual by a suitable jacquard mechanism, not shown, so as to provide for any desired movement of the l carriers as hereafter described.

By means of my improved construction it will be seen that any carrier coming fromv either of the series toward the point of their. separation, lnay be guided around either one ofthe interposed linking gears c or c as desired without changing its relative arrange nient with respect to the other carriers. Thus every alternate carrier. from each series 'or section may be traversed around the gear c, and theothers around the gear c", as indicated in Fig. 5, so as' to form a stripe braid by interlacing the braiding 'of the two sections; this being effected without thickening vthe braid at the point .of junction inasmuch 99 as two threads only link together in each case before returning to their respective sec tions; and without changing the speed of the carriers at the point of junction, which is of great advantage in practical operation as a. change of speed causes objectionable hammering and a reduction of capacity. Instead of thus causing 'the carriers of the re-L spective series or sections to pass alternately around the interposed linking gears c and c as for stripe braiding (Fig. 5), all the carriers of one section may be passed around one of said' gears, as "c, and all the carriers of .the other section a round the other gear c, so as to disconnect the abutted braid ends as indicated in Fig. G. Or instead of revers ingv the direction of the carriers by passing them around said gears c and c as indicated 1 in 'Figs 5 or 6, they may be caused to coni tinue on Without reversing and with practically the saine effect as though the course were not broken by the linking terminals, as indicated in Fig. 4 and in the adjacent portion of braid product in Fig. `3; the stripe effect being in such case avoided, and ordinary braiding of uniform thickness produced. the course of the ordinary circular machine may be divided into sections as indicated in Fig. 1, by introducing any desired number of my paired linking gears and switches, or that a. single pair may be employed instead of the usual reversing terminals vemployed for flat braiding; the machine in either case being capable of producing either a tubular or a flat braid, and with or without the stripe effect, as desired',--or of combining these difierent results 11i a single or continuous` braid by varying the. operation at dif# ferent points of its length.

To accomplish (a further purpose, 1 provide each of the pair of linking gears o c with a central opening n for the passage of warp threads 1 and 2, around which respectively the carriers may be passed in reversinfr alternately upon said terminals as indicated in Fig. 6; the different eli'ect produced by the introduction of these warps being indicated in Fig. 7 and the portion ot braid product opposite the same. This method of operating (Fig. 7 connects the overlapped selvagge edges of the braid and prevents their separation in the manner shown opposite Fig. t3, exceptingr by i'irst forcibly withdrawing said warps cndwise from the braid. ln this way a tubular braid is formed which may be readily converted intoa llat braid bymerely withdrawing such warps, which feature is of special importance in the production oi twisted braids.

lt will be readily understood that my iH- vention not only eiiables thel carriers of linked course ends or sections, to be, operated independently ol`v each other :is indi- It will be readily" understood that.

cated in Figs. t5 or 7, or io perati\el y as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, but that these several movements may be variously combined as ,determined by jacquard patterns, so as to produce a great variety of ornamental elfects. Moreover these various operations are not only provided for on a single nnuzhine, and with a uniform speed oi carrier travel and thickness of braid product, buty both the construction and operation ai'c very simple and advantageous.

What'. l claim is v l. A braiding machine comprising separated racebircles cach provided with carrier drive-gears having an even number ol' earrior-engaging horns, a pair ot' connecting race-circles interposed between sa id se] )a ra t ed race-circles and each provided with carrier drive-gears adapted to serve as terminals, and interior and exterior carrier-coiitrolling switches whereby said interposed raceaeirelcs and their (ilrive-gears are adapted either to pass through or reverse the carriers, subst autially as described.

2. A braiding machine, comprising separated race-circles each provided with carrier drive-gears having an even number ol car rim-engaging horns, a pair of connecting race-circles interposed bet wecn said separated race-circles and each provided with carrier drive-gears adapted to serve as terminals and with a warp-thread opening, and interior and exterior carrier-controlling switches whereby said interposed race-circles and their drive-'gears are adapted to either pass through or reverse the carriers` substantially as 'lescribed.

In testimony whereof, I alix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses. 

